Universal joint for shafts and rods.



N0848,652. PATENTED APR.2,1907.

' A. J; HUGHES.

UNIVERSAL JOINT FOR SHAFTS AND RODS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 19, 1906.

25 universal joint for shafts and rods UN STATES til Specification ofLetters Patent.

PAilEl lll seat. iJOlNT FQR SHAFT$ AND Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed February 19, 1906. Serial No. 301,887.

Tl. (1U Iv/1.0772. it Ntrty (ac/Merit:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pearl River, in the county of Rockland and 5 State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in UniversalJoints for Shafts and. Rods, of which the fol' lowing, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the reference characlessmarked thereon, full, clear, and exact specification, si 'licicnt toenable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention.

This invention relates to that class of de- I vices called universaljoints and intended for the purpose of uniting sections of shafts orrods to permit the sections to incline or to be inclined in anydirection with. reference to each other and within suitable limits forthe.

purpose of transmitting power or for other useful mechanical purposes,as is well understood. r

he object of my invention is to provide or produce a simple, cheap, andefficient form of which will accomplish all the purposes in the matte ofpermitting the relative indications of the coupled sections and whichwill, moreover, be amply strong and durable, not liable to becomedisarranged or unjointed, and which will be simple and easy tomanufacture and easy to apply.

To accomplish all of the foregoing and to secure other and furtheradvantages in the g 5 matters of construction or manufacture, op-

eration, application, and use, my improve ments involve certain new anduseful peculiarities of construction and relative arrangements orcombinations of parts, as will- .0 be herein first fully described andthen pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a side view showing the ends of two sections of a 4 5 shaft or red,the same being coupled one to the other with my improved form of jointand ready foruse as may he desired. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on aplanethrough line 2 2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the ccontiguous arrow. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the central blockdetached, showing one form which it may assume when in unfinishedcondition; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same in i'inishedcondition. 5 5 In all these figures like letters of reference whereverthey occur indicate corresponding parts.

A and B represent the end portions of two similar sections of shaft orred, but these need not be of the same diameter and of the same contour,although-they. are ordinarily so made. The section A has two cars a a,and the section 3 has two similar cars l) 1), these being of length tonearly overlap the central block on opposite sides and being eachrecessed or cut an on their margins, as indicated, to aiiord suiiicientrelative movement of the two sec ns A and B for the inclination. ofthese parts with respect to each other.

The centr l block 0 is made rectangular on the outside and preferablywith equal faces, 'as indicated; but if one of the sections A or B islarger than the other then the proportions of the block may be modifiedaccordingly.

The cars a and b are hinged upon the corn tral block, and the axisof'the two hinges should pass through the center of the block and atright angles with respect to each other. The hinge pins or rods orrivets should be amply strong and durable, so that the joint may notunnecessarily weaken the shaft or red. 1 preferably rivet the hingapinsin tally loosened; and to prepare the block for pins l form in it acentral cavity of sufficient depth, as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,and

perforate it, as at c and d, and at right angles to thesetwoperforations, as at e. The block may be prepared by first drilling theperfora tion e throughout its len'gth and afterward, reaming to form thecavity with its axis coincident with that of the perforation e, asindicated in Fi 4; but of course the larger cavity may be drilled. out,as in Fig. 3, and the perforation in line with the cavity thereaftermade, as may be preferred.

To complete the joint, two short hinge; p nsfg upset on one end only arefirst introduced through the perforations c and through the ears aa,being entered from the interior of the cavity, which is large enough forthe purpose, and then their outer ends upset or headed over, asindicated. Any suitable tool or device may be introduced into the cavityfor the purpose of holding the two pins while their outer ends are beingsecured. v v

The longer pin or belt it is introduced the reception and introductionof these hingeplace, so that they cannot become accidenthe improved formof universal joint is made from the exterior through one of the ears Z)i and passes through the other ear, its outer endsbeing upset or headedover. To afford a firm bearing for this hinge-pin h at the end near themouth of the cavity, (the other end fitting closely in the perforatione,) I closely fit into the open mouth of the cavity a separatecylindrical. block D, and this is perforated to permit the 'pin it topass through it. The outer face of the block D being located in theplane of the adjacent face of the block C will interfere in no Way withthe proper move ment of the ear upon that face. By use of the block D, Iam enabled to secure a per fectly rigid and secure bearing for each endof the hinge-pin it, which is of import ance.

From the construction and rrangeinent shown it will be apparent that thetwo hinges, one being formed )y two hinge-pins and the other by a singlepin, are of practically equal strength, durability, and rigidity, andthus entirely reliableand efiioient for the purposes intended.

The improved joint is simple and easy of l construction and easy toassemble for use and is found. to answer all the purposes or objects ofthe invention hereinheiore allude to. l in order to uncouple the joint,the long hinge" )in'is first displaced by removing one of its i headsand driving it out. Then the two i arts of the shaft or rod areseparated, block removed, and the hingeins f 9 taken out 5 through thecavity in the b ock l Having nowfully described my invention, I what Iclaim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. Auniversal joint for shafts and rods comprising the two fureated sectionsof the 1 shaft, each provided with ears recessed at their margins andregistering apertures, a recessed central block having apertures throughopposite sides to receive short pins for hing-- ing, one section thereonand a perforated block fitted into the central block for receiving thelong pin extending through the cenmovable perforated bearing-hlocklocated in the cavity of the central block and a hingepin extendingthrough the bearing-block and one side of the central block, incombination with the furcated sections having ears recessed at themargins of the shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3 The l1GIOiH-(lCSCi'llJQd universal joint for shafts and rods,comprising a central block erlorated and provided with a cavity as setforth, separate hingepins i0! ated at right anglcs with respect to eachother and entering,- said cavity, and removable perforated block locatedin the cavity and affording a bearing for one of the hinge-pins, thewhole being constructed and arranged substantially as shown anddescribed.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses. I

A, THUR J. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

WM. A. Smnnno, hIiAG-GIE A. HUGHES.

